Typewriter



o. A. HoKANsoN.

TYPEWRITER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. l, 1918. 1,348,946. Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

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TYPEWRITER.

APPLICATION FILED-APR. 1. 1918.

1 ,348,946, Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

YUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO A. I-IOKANS-ON, OF INOODSTOOK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WOODSTOCK TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, OF NOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TYPEWRITER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

Application filed April l, 1918. Serial No. 225,949.

To all whom `it may Concern:

Re it known that l, (Erre A. HonANsoN,

citizen of the United States, residing at lVoodstock, in the county of McHenry and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Typewriters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to typewriters, but more particularly to means for adjusting, alining Aand holding paper, cards and other material to receive impressions with respect to and at the printing point of a typewriter of the shifting platen type.

Among the objects of the invention are: to provide an improved line finder which shifts with the platen; to provide a card or paper holder above the printing point; to hold the line finder normally near the platen and to provideadjustable means for allowing it to be sprung away from the platen to accommodate various thicknesses of material to receive impressions; to guide and separate the line finder and the ribbon vibrator; and to provide paper fingers which can be moved with the platen close to theprinting point, the paper lingers and the line finder being provided with coperating means to prevent the ngers from covering the irinting point and to brace the line finder so that it forms an abutment against which the paper fingers may be moved. @ther objects will appear hereinafter. Y

In the accompanying drawings- Figure l is a view partly in section and partly in side elevation embodying the construction of this invention.

Fig. 1L is a front elevation of the lower part of one of the paper fingers.

F ig. 2 is a top plan view of the moans for bracing and releasing the upper end of the line finder. Y

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the part,

shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a similar view with the type bar segment and guide removed.

Tn most typewriters it is somewhat diffi-A sired to make a great many copies with a single impression, as in either of these cases the material upon which the writing is done is very likely to slip when the platen ,is shifted, or when the platen is moved to present a new line to the printing point. The present invention is therefore designed and intended to overcome these difficulties.

In the type of machine to which this invention is shown as applied, a rotatable platen 1 is mounted in end plates 2 of a reciprocating carriage 3, which has a roller 4 movable on a shift rail 5, mounted in a shift frame G, which is pivoted to swing about an axis 7. Tivoted in the shift frame is a ribbon vibrator lever 8 to which is connected a member 9 for actuating it, and at its outer end is connected a ribbon carrier 10 which has a. forked upper extremity with ribbon receiving slots 1l in each fork thereof. This ribbon carrier normallv holds the ribbon below the printing` line, but is actuated upon each movement of a type bar 12 to move the ribbon upwardly to cover the printing point, all in accordance with wellknown typewriter practice.

A movable line finder 13 is mounted behind the ribbon vibrator and is formed at the lower end with lateral bent ears 14 and with a central spring tongue 15. The ears are connected to the ends of levers 16 pivoted in a bracket 1T depending from a crosspiece 18 of the typewriter frame, and to the other ends of these levers 1G is connected a link 19 which is pivoted to a bracket 2O supported by the shift frame G so that upon each movement of the shift frame, and consequently of the platen 1, there is a corresponding movement of the line finder 13. At the end of the spring tongue 15 is a threaded boss 21 through which an adjusting screw 22 extends and bears against the shift rail 5, thereby providing means to vary the tension applied to the printing point and with laterally extending graduated line-finding edges 26, at the outer extremities of which are inclined and outwardly turned ears 27. Extending uniformly upward from the upper edges of the line finder-and beginning at some distance from the printing point is a guide or card holder 28 which conforms to the curvature of the platen and has a downwardly extending pointer 29 in line with the printing point and depressions 30 which are adapted to bear against the materialcarried by the platen, thereby forming a central paper linger directly over the printing point so'that small pieces of material which are to be written upon can be held without obstructing the printing point. lfilhen this holder 28 is solid in the center, only one depression 30 is needed, butwhen split,'as shown in Fig. 3, two depressions 30 are preferable, one on each side of the slit.

Mounted -in front of the finder and the ribbon vibrator is a segment 3l' in which type bars 12 are 'pivoted, and at the upper end of this segment is a type bar guide 32 by; means of which the type bars are accurately guided Vto the printing point. Extending rearwardly from both sides of this segment are headed studs 33 for engaging and guiding' the outside edges 24 of the ribbon vibrator 10, and with one side 34 of each stud flattened to engage the inside edoes 23 of the line finder 13. i

t the rear of the line finder 13 and below the platen isa graduated scale bar 35 mounted in the carriage, the graduations on which are visible fromthe front of the machine beyond the sides of the type bar guide and through an aperture 36 in the type bar guide from which .there are projecting pointers 37 and 38 at the top and bottom to indicate the position of the printing point with respect to the `scale bar. Slidable upon the scale bar are paper fingers 39 each of which is provided with a slidable member f 40 having portions 41V and 42 bent over the --top and bottom edges ofthe scale bar and with bearings 43 in which the paperV finger proper is'mounted and an upstanding spring tongue 44. The paper finger has two extremities 45 which are mounted in vthe pivoting portions 43 andan integral from sliding from the spring tongue 44 and l f C5 C) becoming disengaged therefrom when the finger 39 is pulled forward. T he upper end ofthe paper finger conforms to the curvature vofthe platen and has upstanding ears 48 in which a roller 49 is mounted that bears against the'platen and with an upfrom the platen against the tension of the spring tongues 44 and 46 which tend to press the paper finger inthe direction of the platen. Extending outwardly from the side of each paper finger is an ear or projection 51 which is adapted to engage the outer edge of the line finder 13 if the platen, and with it the paper fingers are moved to the position shown in Figs. 3' and 4. lt should be understood, of course, that there are usually two paper fingers, one at each side of the'printing point and that the projections 51 thereof are at the outer edges of the paper fingers so that the paper fingers can be moved close to the printing point, but will be prevented from covering the printing point by the engagement of the ear 51 with the line finder. Vrlhe paper iingers may -be manually adjusted into the position shown beneath the extensions ofthe line finder vby sliding them von the graduated bar 35,V or the paper lingers may assume this position due to the transverse movement of the platen, and the bar 35 in the `'ordinary writing operation during which the paper finger slides under the in clined tip 27 of the line nder until the ear 51 engages theline finder. In either case the engagement of this ear 51 with the line finder would tend to moveV the line finder, and therefore the guiding screws 33 also provide an abutment for preventing the lateral movement of the line finder.

ln writing upon heavy cards or upon sev eral thicknesses of paper it may be necessary to hold the upper end of the paper .finger Ymore firmly in the direction vof the platen than in the ordinary printing operainto the crosspiece. The Vslide is at the rear Y of the line finder, but has tongues 57, each provided with a depressed bearing portion 58 which is bent outwardly from the slide and is adapted to engage the front of the line finder. When the slide is one position, as shown in Fig. 4, the bearing projections 58 of these tongues 57 engage the outer face of the line finder, thereby supporting it so that a greater pressure will be exerted the upper end of the line finder upon any 'material which happens to be inserted be! the the tween it and the platen 1 than when slide is moved to the right so that tongues do not engage the line finder.

With this improved construction it is obvious'that the printing point is at all times in plain view as is also the graduatedV bar 35 and the pointers which indicate the printing position thereon; the paper lingers are prevented from obscuring the printing point, but can be moved very close thereto; an article of very small dimensions can be properly supported for writing thereon in correct alinement rand without danger of spoiling the alinement even though the platen is shifted; a greaterpressure can be exerted upon thicker materials at the printing point without exerting undue pressure upon materials which do not need it; and the line finder is properly guided, supported and adjustable for meeting the various conditions to which it must be subjected. It is believed that no further explanation of the operation of the parts is necessary as their functions have been set forth in that part of the description relating to them.

I claim l. In a typewriter; a shiftable line finder; and a paper linger at each side of the line finder adapted to slide thereunderl with a projection extending forwardly from the further side of each paper finger and adapted te engage the side of the line finder to limit the sliding movement.

2. ln a typewriter, a shiftable line finder extending on both sides of the printing point, and a slidable paper finger movable under the line finder and having a forward projection at its further side which allows it to slide under the line Jfinder but engages the adjacent edge thereof so that the paper finger will closely approach but cannot cover the printing point.

3. ln a typewriter, the combination with a platen; a line finder shiftable therewith; and a paper finger adjustable with respect to the platen and transversely movable therewith, and also slidable under the line finder with forward projection from the further side which is adapted to engage the edge of the line finder after the paper linger is entirely under this side of the line nder but to prevent it from covering the print point.

4. ln a typewriter, a vertically shiftable line finder, a transversely movable paper linger having a projection to engage the edge of the line finder, and a xed abutment and guide near the upper end of the line finder to receive the impact to the engagement of the paper linger therewith.

5. ln a typewriter, a shiftable platen, a slidable paper linger adjustable along the platen and having a forward projection on the outer side thereof, and a line linder shiftable with the platen having side extensions on both sides of the printing point and with inclined outer edges under which the paper linger will slide when the platen is moved transversely, the side extensions of the line linder being of suliicient width to extend over the paper linger when the projection thereof engages the outer edge of the line finder without allowing the paper linger to cover the printing point.

6. ln a typewriter, a line finder of yielding material and means for supporting it, and additional means adjacent the upper extremity thereof for bracing it at will against outward movement, said additional means being arranged to brace sai( finder between its support and the paperengaging portionthereof.

a. in a typewriter', the combination with a platen, of a line linder therefor of spring material, means for normally supporting the line finder, and additional laterally movable means for-engaging and bracing the upper end of the line finder between the point of support thereof and the paper-engaging portion thereof, so that a greater Jension is exerted when material of greater thickness is interposed between the line finder and the platen.

8. ln a typewriter, a shiftable platen, a line Vfinder vertically movable therewith, and adjustable means for engaging the outer face of the upper end of the line finder so that greater tension can be exerted when thicker material is interposed between the platen and the line finder.

9. In a typewriter, the combination with a line nder of spring material, and bracing means for the upper end thereof comprising a movable slide positioned on one side of the line finder having projecting tongues to engage the other side thereof.

l0. ln a typewriter, a vertically movable line finder, and means for supporting the line finder comprising a slide movable upon the frame of the machine on one side of the line finder with tongues projecting therefrom to engage the other side of the line finder and with a linger hold portion at one end of the slide for operating it.

11. In a typewriter, the combination with a shiftable line finder and a reciprocable ribbon carrier both vertically and separately movable, and fixed means common to both of them for guiding and supporting them in their vertical movement.

l2. In a type` riter, a ribbon carrier having straight outer edges, a vertically movable line finder having a perforation with side edges parallel to the edges of the ribbon carrier, and means acting as a common guide for the carrier and line linder in their vertical movements.

13. In a typewriter, the combination with a vertically shiftable line finder and a vertically movable ribbon carrier, of a type bar guide in front of the line finder and carrier, guiding pins inserted in the type bar guide for engaging the edges of the said finder and carrier, and a transversely movable paper linger having means for engagement l line with the line 'nder, the said pins acting` as an abutment for holding the line finder in place against the engagement of the paper finger.

14. ln a typewriter, a line inder having a notch below the printing,` point, and an integral upward extensionbeginning at equal distances from the printing point and meeting` 'above the printing peint with a downwardly extending pointer indicatingl the position of the printing` point.

l5. ln a typewriter, a line finder having two connected line finding portions with a dovfnwardly extending,` notch below the printing point, and an upwardly extending holder above the printing,` point with depressions at the upper end'iorming a projeetion on the under surface which constitutes a limited bearing for any material which passes under trie holder portion.

16. ln a typewriter, a platen, a line inder having tips inclined away from the platen, and a paper linger adjustable with respect to the platen having spring tongues for holding it against the platen so it will slide under one tip of the line iinder with a prejection to engage the line nder for limiting its extent of movement under the line finder.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspeciication onthis 15th day o1c March, A. l). 1918.

OTTO A. HOKANSN. 

